IMA Maxi European Championship 2026 - Inshore Racing Overall
by Tre Golfi Sailing Week 28 May 12:33 PDT
22-28 May 2026
The IMA Maxi European Championship 2026 came to a close today in Sorrento, at the end of a spectacular week of racing in the Gulf of Naples as part of the Tre Golfi Sailing Week.
Organized by the Circolo del Remo e della Vela Italia in synergy with the International Maxi Association (IMA), in collaboration with the Yacht Club Italiano and the Reale Yacht Club Canottieri Savoia, and supported by Rolex and Loro Piana, the event once again confirmed itself as one of the most prestigious fixtures on the international Maxi Yacht calendar.
Throughout the week, the fleets faced highly variable conditions between Naples and Sorrento, alternating offshore, coastal and inshore races characterized by light winds and extremely tactical situations, with Capri and the Gulf of Naples providing the perfect backdrop to the competition.
"I would like to thank all the owners, crews and partners who contributed to the success of this extraordinary edition of the IMA Maxi European Championship and, more generally, of the 71st Tre Golfi Sailing Week. We experienced a fantastic week of sailing, with technically demanding races fought right up to the final day, in one of the most unique settings in the world such as the Gulf of Naples," said Roberto Mottola di Amato, President of the Circolo del Remo e della Vela Italia. "The level of the international fleet racing in Sorrento once again confirms how this event has become one of the absolute reference points for Maxi yacht racing worldwide. For the Circolo Italia it is a great source of pride to see the Tre Golfi Sailing Week continue to grow year after year, while maintaining its identity, its history and its deep connection with the sea and the territory that make this event so special. I would also like to extend a special thank you to the International Maxi Association, the Yacht Club Italiano, the Reale Yacht Club Canottieri Savoia, our sponsors and the entire organization, who worked with passion and professionalism to make this great event possible. The response from international owners and the quality of racing we witnessed on the water confirm that we are on the right path to continue growing the Tre Golfi Sailing Week, which has now become a true Sailing Series."
In the Maxi Grand Prix / Maxi 72 division, the European title went to Jolt of Peter Harrison, after an extremely consistent performance throughout the championship. On board Jolt, alongside tactician Ben Saxton, were Italians Cesare Bozzetti, Nicolò Robello, Massimo Gherarducci, Francesco Scalicci, Lorenzo Mazza, Massimo Gherducci and Federico Giovanelli. Second overall finished Northstar of Peter Dubens, member of the CRV Italia, while the wallyrocket71 Django 7X of Giovanni Lombardi Stronati, with Vasco Vascotto calling tactics, completed the podium in third place.
"This is fantastic news for us: Jolt is the 2026 Maxi Grand Prix European Champion," said Nic Asher, tactician of Jolt. "Today we sailed an incredible race. It was one of those races where everything went in the right direction. We got off to a great start together with the bigger boats, which all week had been the trickiest aspect to manage, and then we managed to stay ahead of Jethou and Bella Mente until the finish. We are extremely happy and already looking ahead to the rest of the season. It was an incredibly close championship right down to the final metres. All week the points gaps were tiny: before the final race there were four boats separated by just one point. The conditions were exciting and everything came down to the final downwind leg. You really couldn't ask for more."
In Maxi 1, the European title was claimed by V of Karel Komarek, with American sailing star Ken Read and Croatian Olympic gold medallist Sime Fantela onboard, ahead of Leopard 3 of Joost Schuijff, while Galateia of Chris Flowers and David Leuschen finished third overall.
"It was a beautiful day of racing. We had to wait a bit for the wind to fill in, but the weather models showed a solid increase in breeze and that is exactly what happened. During the upwind leg we even saw gusts close to 19 knots. The interesting part was that almost the entire fleet was still using light-air sails, so once again the start was crucial," said Sime Fantela, tactician of V. "In the previous days the left side of the course had often paid off, but today the course was shifted further to the right and more offshore, so it was a new situation for everyone and nobody really knew which side would work best. The strategy I proposed to the team was to stay slightly upwind of our direct rivals and then try to push left. The team executed everything perfectly and we had an excellent start. We managed to control Leopard 3 and especially Galateia, which was our main rival in the overall European Championship standings. The team is extremely happy and I am very proud of the crew. This is our second European title in the last three years and it means a lot to all of us. In fact, it is also our third consecutive victory considering the Caribbean season, so we are very pleased with the work we are doing."
In Maxi 3, the overall victory went to Cippa Lippa X of Guido Paolo Gamucci, ahead of Manticore of Franz Baruffaldi and the Belgian Kallima of Paul Berger.
"We are truly happy about this victory at the 2026 European Championship," said Guido Paolo Gamucci, owner of Cippa Lippa X. "It was a very demanding week, but also extremely enjoyable. Today we had different conditions compared to the previous days, with stronger breeze, and the fact that we managed to perform well also in more wind makes me particularly satisfied. We had been chasing this title for three years and finally we managed to win it. Sorrento once again proved to be a very interesting and technical racecourse: the wind shifts and constant changes in pressure made the racing especially demanding for both navigators and tacticians. The crew worked flawlessly and the boat performed beautifully throughout the week. It is truly a huge satisfaction."
In the combined Maxi 4 and 5 divisions, victory went to Fra Diavolo of Vincenzo Addessi, ahead of H2O of Riccardo De Michele and Yoru of Luigi Sala.
"The week went very well and the result confirmed us as European Champions in the Maxi 4 and Maxi 5 classes," said Fra Diavolo owner Vincenzo Addessi. "This success is the result of a close-knit team with a long-standing core: 80-90% of the crew has been sailing together for many years. Added to this is the constant work on optimizing the boat, something I personally take care of, because I have always been fascinated by the technical aspects linked to performance and reliability, without ever losing sight of the aesthetics and design of the yacht."
In the Multihull Trophy, victory went to Allegra of Adrian Keller, ahead of Highland Fling XVIII and Layla of Andrew Nisbet.
The 2026 edition once again confirmed the extremely high technical level of the international Maxi fleet and the extraordinary racing potential of the Gulf of Naples, with highly competitive racing across all divisions right up to the final day.
The Tre Golfi Sailing Week 2027, including the IMA Maxi European Championship, will take place from 14 to 20 May, while the new Maxi 1 - Maxi Grand Prix Naples America's Cup Regatta is scheduled from 29 June to 2 July.
The regatta is supported by leading partners including Rolex and Loro Piana, alongside North Sails, Wally Yachts, Deloitte, Ferrarelle, Ottogas, Garmin, Banca Patrimoni Sella & C., Caffè Borbone and Azimut Investimenti.